Dear Friends in Faith,
The apostle Paul wrote that Gods revelation of His position as Saviour of all mankind (1 Tim.4:9,10) is worthy of all welcome. We find this so with every passing day in which we experience the operation of death and sin in our lives and see how sadly it affects our world.
This saying concerning the living God pops up several times in a little book by Robert L. Short, entitled The Gospel According to Dogs (yes, that is the title), which has just been released by HarperSanFrancisco press (ISBN 978-0-06-119874-8). Short writes, in view of the naughtiness of dogs and human beings: For who among us has not been naughty? This is one reason Gods salvation turns out to be universal salvation. Only a universal salvation can finally be an adequate remedy for so universal a naughtiness (p.70). And lest we think Short founds his optimism on anything except Gods righteousness in the gift of His Son, we should note the following reflection of what 1 Timothy 4:10 says about relying on the living God, and which Short calls Dependence on God (DOG), as follows: If Christians were to mistakenly believe that the start of their faith depends on their own free decisions for Christ, then obviously theyd be depending on themselves from the very beginning, not on Christ (p.28).
Recently we have announced the death of several close friends who had come to know and rely on God as the Saviour of all mankind (and especially of believers), Max Binney (Madisonville, Tennessee), Stan Cooper (Niagara Falls, Ontario), Carl Randolph (Richmond, Virginia) and Frances Anderson (of Muskegon, Michigan, who died on January 30), and now we note with sorrow that another honored brother, John Gemmink, of Anaheim, California has been put to repose. But this is not the end for them, for Christ died for them as He did for all, and because they were graciously granted by God to be believers (Phil.1:29) they will enjoy a special salvation with us in the oncoming eons (Eph.2:6), and this
is not out of them or because of their works but is Gods own oblation (Eph.2:8,9). Yet all will ultimately be vivified in Christ, and God will be All in all! (1 Cor.15:22-28).
Our readers know these welcome sayings, but, like us, most of you feel they cannot be repeated enough. Thank you, each one, for letting us into your home via this newsletter, and for your encouragement.
I am the Shepherd ideal. The ideal shepherd is laying down his soul for the sake of the sheep (John 10:11). This verse has been used to teach that all mankind will not be saved for, they say, Christ did not lay down His soul for all mankind, just the sheep. I would encourage such ones to believe the apostle Paul who was chosen by God and Christ to bring the evangel to the nations. In that evangel, given him by the risen Christ, he states that Christ gave Himself a corresponding ransom for ALL (cf 1 Tim.2:4-6). Based upon this giving, God wills that all mankind be saved.
We want to remind our readers of the Bible conference in Richmond, Virginia on March 30-April 1 (at Days Inn, 2100 Dickens Rd., phone reservations: 804-282-3300). We have also heard of a few friends planning to meet that same weekend on Pender Island, British Columbia, with the theme of Gods grace and His purpose for all in view.